milan is not rome or florence, you’re right… but it still is a nice city, expecially in streets like the one you took a pic of…anyway, i studied there for 4 years, and just love it the way it is… i’m glad someone likes it like you do! ciao

WOW!As a Detroiter that has followed you from day one, that stings. We have great things and great people all over this city. Maybe you should come see for yourself. Also being of Italian descent and having visited italy a number of times, I no longer am concerned with my heritage. I find the french much more friendly than the Italians. Metro Detroit is also the most generous area of the entire United States. (see link below) So that says something about the people here. And we have some incredible architecture too. And yes we all feel the need to always defend Detroit when attacked. ;-) (http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm/bay/metro.region/metroid/18/print/1.htm)

I have lived in Milan for five years. I’m from New York. My husband is from Detroit so we visit relatives there often. In my view, Milan is a very challenging city to live in for many reasons (the weather, parking motorinos on sidewalk, horrid mosquitoes, graffiti, etc). But the principal reason is that most people do not stay in the city all week. It is very common for people to vacate on the weekends (these people are called 5/7′s – meaning, they only spend 5 days a week in Milan)and also most leave for the whole summer, except businessmen. And so…the city suffers from a livability standpoint because its inhabitants aren’t here full-time. On the positive side, there is no denying the impeccability of the dress and stylishness that you see everywhere on everyone. There isn’t a slob to be found and that shows a great sense of pride in the people. People here have learned to look past the darker parts of the city. As for Detroit – I think the suburbs are some of the most beautiful I have seen. I don’t think it is easy to compare a commuter/suburban type metro area like Detroit to a city center like Milan. Like apples and oranges.

I so agree – I was in Milan the same time as you for the first time and expected an uninteresting, industrial, unfriendly city. I fell head over heels and had one of those “I must move here” moments. I found the people so friendly, not to mention drop-dead gorgeous, and so many beautiful streets, nooks, shops, and could easily have spent a week there. Can’t wait to go back…

Evansville, hm? I wondered which part of the Hoosier state you left…I’m always kind of amazed to see where Indiana natives show up. I spent my freshman year of college at the U of E, many years ago; it is indelibly etched in my psyche. Even though my degree is from elsewhere, when I have strange dreams about being back in college I’m on that campus…

Move there? No way :-) Milan is interesting but not a city to live in (challenging… indeed). Not when you come from a quiet, medieval town called Pavia which is just 38kms from Milan and way nicer and more “human”. Just do a little research on Flickr and you’ll see that it is full of delightful spots like the one photographed.As for French being less friendly than Italians, can’t tell, but alas, I must recognize we are not the open people they imagine us to be, in general. I wish we were more civil, over all. I am embarassed for my fellow-countrymen, especially those who when abroad do their worst…

You’ve already been berated about the Detroit comment, so I’ll simply add that having been reaised there, I DID leave for NYC for a reason… (Though I must say, Ann Arbor — while not truly Detroit — is one of the greatest mid-sized cities in the country.)